The number of people in the U.S. that are now arming themselves is continually increasing amid continued fears following the continuous riots and protests. Last month’s FBI background checks, which are used to estimate the total number of guns sold in the country, hit a new record high. Official data from the Bureau indicated that more than 3.9 million background checks were conducted in June, 71 percent higher than the number of checks conducted over the same month last year.

Fears over the continued civil unrest stemming from the death of George Floyd have been greatly exacerbated by the lingering coronavirus pandemic. The surge in background checks, and conversely the number of guns sold in the country, had coincided with the spread of the disease. Since January, more than 19.1 million background checks have been conducted by the FBI’s National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS).

Last month’s background checks were the highest on record since NICS was established by the FBI back in 1998. The states with the highest number of checks were California, Texas, Florida, and Kentucky.

Under federal law, buyers from licensed gun dealers must go through checks. Their information is then run through the FBI’s database to make sure that they have no prior criminal records, existing warrants, or a history of mental illness.

According to the National Rifle Association (NRA), the key drivers for this year’s massive surge in gun purchases can be attributed to increasing concerns over personal safety due to the pandemic. More people are arming themselves to protect their homes and their families given the uncertainty brought about by the health and economic crisis.

Gun control advocates have warned that purchasing a firearm isn’t a risk-free security measure as it does come with some caveats. The president of the Brady gun violence prevention organization, Kris Brown, had mentioned in an interview that improper use of firearms can lead to tragic results, and they have seen it happen more and more.